


Five Things That Never Happened to Ax (and one that did)

by Poetry



Series: Things That Never Happened [1]
Category: Animorphs - Katherine A. Applegate
Genre: 5+1 Things, Ableism, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Autism, Drabble Sequence, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-01
Updated: 2015-01-01
Packaged: 2018-03-04 18:54:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3082994
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Poetry/pseuds/Poetry
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Five moments from a life Ax almost lived, and one from the life he did.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Five Things That Never Happened to Ax (and one that did)

**1.**  
  
While the other arisths dared each other to see who could fly the highest, Aximili tested out the kafit bird’s beak-sounds.  
  
“Krrreeeekkkk.” In the disorientation of this unfamiliar body, the throat-vibrations and new sounds helped center him. He liked beak-sounds. It was like when he’d learned drums in school, the buzz against his fingers. “Krek.”  
  
«Look!» said Aristh Sherstrouss. «It’s a real kafit bird, talking in its native language!» Mental laughter echoed around.  
  
«I am not a real kafit bird. They are not native to this continent. I am Aximili.»  
  
«We _know_ that. Bloody nose-rot, can’t you have some fun?»  
  
 **2.**  
  
«In flight simulator, he keeps one hand on the dash so he can feel the vibrations.»  
  
«He doesn’t understand jokes.»  
  
«He’s memorized every step of the blade forms, instead of just knowing them like we do.»  
  
«His workstation is full of holos of his favorite kinds of illsipar root.»  
  
«You know he can’t pay attention.»  
  
«And your conclusion is…» prompted the instructor.  
  
«Aximili is a vecol,» said Aristh Sherstrouss. «Deficient in sensory processing. It is time to send him to live with the other vecols.»  
  
«You cannot believe this is true,» Aximili said numbly to the instructor.  
  
But he did.  
  
 **3.**  
  
«Aximili,» said Ixtil, the tailless gatekeeper vecol. «Your brother is here to visit.»  
  
He knew this day would come, but he dreaded it.   
  
«Have you been studying, Aximili-kala? Practicing your blade forms?» It was not what Aximili expected him to say.  
  
«Yes.» Better to seclude himself in study than watch his fellow inmates drown in their abandonment.  
  
«Then come with me to the Academy. I have spoken for you.»  
  
Aximili rocked back. «But… the shame this brings on you…»  
  
«Is theirs, not mine.» He struck off the waist chain that marked Aximili as vecol, in a shower of bright sparks.  
  
 **4.**  
  
«In truth,» Aximili admitted to Tobias, «I am not a real aristh.»  
  
«What do you mean?»  
  
«I am a vecol. An invalid. We are supposed to retreat from society. I am only an aristh because Elfangor used his reputation to reinstate me. I owe him everything.»  
  
«That’s terrible, Ax.» Then, fiercely: «You _are_ a real aristh. A real _warrior_. Whoever kicked you out didn’t understand anything about you.»  
  
«Is it wrong to conceal the truth from Prince Jake and the others? That I am a vecol?»  
  
«That’s your own business, Ax. You’re part of our team. That’s all that matters.»  
  
 **5.**  
  
When Aximili introduced himself, Gafinilan said, «You are the vecol aristh,» as other Andalites thought, but rarely said.  
  
Aximili stiffened.  
  
«I am vecol too,» said Gafinilan. «As is my shorm, Mertil. We found great interest in your story, Aximili. Now I see that Elfangor was right. You can be a warrior.»  
  
Aximili trembled despite himself. The great Gafinilan, a vecol? Could a vecol be anyone, become anything?  
  
«I trust you, Aximili, because you alone can understand. We sought peace on Earth we could never find at home. And now that peace is threatened by the Yeerks. Will you help us?»  
  
 **(+1)**  
  
«You shouldn’t be such an asshole to Gafinilan and Mertil,» Tobias said. «If I were in your society, I could have been a vecol too.»  
  
«What?!»  
  
«One of my teachers thought I was autistic. It’s this thing where you aren’t good with subtle stuff in faces and voices, and you’re weird about sensation, and you tunnel-focus on a few topics and block out others… Anyway, I moved back to my uncle’s before they could diagnose me.»  
  
«That does not make you a vecol. Your description of “autism” fits me, too.»  
  
«Then maybe _you_ could be a vecol. Think on that.»


End file.
